An American author, the writer Emily James has been writing for quite some time now, as she has a penchant for creating much loved mystery novels that are filled with suspense and intrigue that keep the reader glued throughout. Opting to not include sex, violence or swearing, she aims to keep them clean in order to make them accessible to the entire family, so that parents can share them with their children and vice-versa.

This then ensures that they’re family friendly mystery novels that anybody can enjoy, regardless of where they’re from and what part of the world they come from. With a universal appeal they really manage to garner interest from all corners of the globe, as they have a timeless quality to them. As a writer Emily James has always had a strong passion for mystery novels, growing up watching various television shows such as Matlock, Monk and Murder She Wrote, all of which can be seen as clearly inspiring her work. Following on in the tradition of novels such as this, she really works at being able to craft a suspense filled mystery that keeps her reader guessing right until the very last page.

Using a touch of romance too, she crafts characters who are somewhat quirky as well, thus ensuring that they create some impact upon the readers, staying with them long after they’ve put the book down finally. The cozy nature of her mysteries is also something that keeps her readers continually coming back for more, with a sense of familiarity surrounding each of them. Creating many long running series and franchises too, she has been able to build brands as well, many of which go on to achieve worldwide acclaim from both the critics and the general public alike, as they speak on a universal level.

It is her ‘Maple Syrup Mysteries’ series that probably exemplifies this best, as this is what all of her output has largely been focused upon throughout the entire course of her writing career so far. Taking place in Northern Michigan in America, the series follows the various events surrounding a maple syrup farm that’s situated there, as it takes a look at former lawyer Nicole Fitzhenry-Dawes and her time spent there. Dealing with a series of mysteries, she always seems to find herself at the heart of a new and intriguing case, as she uses her skills and insights to get to the bottom of it each and every time.

Running for a total of eight books so far and counting, this mystery first started out 2016 with the debut novel ‘A Sticky Inheritance’, and the rest of the books would follow in quick succession to the first one. There would also be a ‘Maple Syrup Mysteries’ series box set, which would compile the first three books in the series into an omnibus edition. Along with this Emily James would also bring out a prequel novella called ‘Sapped’ as it would take a look at the events leading up to the debut release, all with a mystery of its very own.

A Sticky Inheritance

Brought out on the Kindle through the ‘Stronghold Books’ publishing label, this was to be the initial debut in the long-running ‘Maple Syrup Mysteries’ series of novels. Coming out in 2016 on the 1st of November, this would set the series up as a whole, establishing both the style and the tone, as well as introducing the leading character for the first time too. Taking place in the small town of Fair Haven, it also works at building the world of the series to follow, giving a real sense of grounding, whilst also providing the first murder mystery to solve too.

With her career and love life seemingly in tatters, Nicole Fitzhenry-Dawes feels like a failure, especially when looking at the rest of her family of high-achievers. Previously a criminal defense attorney, she heads to Northern Michigan after her uncle passes away leaving behind a maple farm for her to attend to. She soon finds herself embarking on her own murder investigation though, after the local police chief refuses to investigate her uncle’s apparent ‘suicide’, as he doesn’t want to tarnish the reputation of the town. Will Nicole find out who murdered and uncle? Why did they do it? What will become of her sticky inheritance?

Bushwacked

Released through the ‘Stronghold Books’ publishing house once more, this would continue on from the first, providing another mystery for the amateur sleuth Nicole to solve. Released not long after this original, this also came out in 2016, this time on the 27th of November, only a few weeks after the first. It would also work at developing both the world and characters, bringing them forwards as a whole for the readers.

Heading once again to the small Northern Michigan town of Fair Haven, the story this time focuses upon Nicole Fitzhenry-Dawes as she attempts to settle down in the maple syrup farm there. That’s when she accidentally hits the local animal shelter manager during a snowstorm, but it would seem that something else was already the main cause of his death. Wanting to help with the case as she feels guilty about hitting him, she embarks on an investigation that could potentially put her in harm’s way. Will she be able to find the killer before it’s too late? Can she keep herself safe whilst doing so? What will happen after the victim has been bushwacked?

The Maple Syrup Mysteries Series

Creating a cozy set of mystery novels, this would be a series that many would come to regard as a timeless and ever engaging classic set of novels, as they’ve garnered attention from far and wide. Working as highly addictive page-turners, Emily James is really in her element here, with her having constructed a series that is clearly a labor of love, with the passion for the genre being extremely infectious. Setting a precedent for the format, it manages to build a franchise that will stand the test of time for many years to come, with more and more discovering it every day.

Jack Reacher is back! Personally I thought this was the 2nd best Reacher book yet. The latest book in the Jack Reacher series, Past Tense, came out November 5th. Family secrets come back to haunt Reacher when he decides to visit the town his father was born in. Why? Because when he visits there he finds out no-one with the last name of Reacher has ever lived there. It leaves him wondering - did his father ever live there? More Details.

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Featured Series

One of my favourite series is the Brilliance Saga by Marcus Sakey and it is our featured series of the month. It's just an incredible light sci-fi series that fans of "Dark Matter" would also enjoy. It's free on Kindle Unlimited too! More Details.

Featured Author

Our author of the month is Canadian author Opal Carew who writes erotic romance novels. Opal has written over 100 novels with multiple book series such as the Dirty Talk series and the Abducted series. If you’re a fan of erotic romance, be sure to check out Opal Carew.

Did You Know…

Dean Koontz won an Atlantic Monthly Fiction Competition when he was a senior in college. He has an estimated number of over 400 million copies sold and his work has been published in more than 38 languages all over the world. His books have topped New York’s bestsellers’ list thirteen times and he also has to his credit of becoming the bestseller in countries as diverse as Sweden and Japan.